Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 5

ADD MORE VEGGIES.

It's also a good idea to boost meals with more fresh vegetables in place of other calorie-dense items, whether or not you're trying to drop a few pounds. Particularly these should be of the leafy, green variety (spinach, bok choy, etc.) with the addition of red vegetables (tomatoes, red peppers, etc.) and a few other colors to that rainbow. So have that pasta, but instead of two cups of pasta with one-half cup of veggies, have one cup of pasta with two cups of veggies. See our vegetable section for a million ways prepare veggies. Well, a couple dozen at least.

When NOT to Cook Low-Fat!

BELIEVE it or not, there are key times when you don't want to cook low-fat meals: Situation 1: First-Time Vegan Food-Tasters They may not know it yet, but your flesh-eating dinner guests are going to go vegan. Someday. And part of your devious plan is to render them speechless with a most outrageous richly sauced seitan piccata, creamy garlic mashed potatoes, and "b.u.t.tery" cookies slathered with homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread. This is where you want to pull out all the stops and smother them with tender, loving fat. Don't let their first memory of vegan eating be steamed kale and fat-free bean b.a.l.l.s.

Situation 2: Holidays, Birthdays, Special Occasions Similar to Situation #1, you want to ill.u.s.trate that vegan cooking does not exclude the good times. Many holidays are based in ancient beliefs celebrating that new babies continue to be born, the crops have returned, and that we didn't starve to death this winter. Save the oil-free lentil soup for an occasion other than Pa.s.sover. Isn't eating matzo for eight days a trial and tribulation enough?

Situation 3: Sad Times Okay, maybe we're going to get into trouble with psychologists for saying this here, but there's nothing wrong with a stack of chocolate chip pancakes when you're dealing with a serious emotional crisis. Loss of family, friend, pet. The big stuff. If you're normally working hard at watching what you eat, how much you exercise, read labels, and so on, then you know what you have to do when you're ready to get back on track. And you will, since you're made of the tough stuff.

Situation 4: Party Times A lot like special occasions, but with potentially more people. Potlucks and picnics fall into this category. You don't want to be known by your local rotary club as "The Blanched Tofu" boy or "The Poached Spinach" lady, now do you?

EAT LOW-GI FOODS.

Choose foods that are low on what's called the "glycemic index." Don't worry, you don't need to be a nutritionist to figure out what those foods are, it simply means carbohydrates that are digested more slowly, raise your blood glucose more evenly, and keep you feeling fuller longer. Basically, you want unrefined carbohydrates, so instead of white rice choose brown rice, eat fruits rather than sugary desserts, and consume more whole grains such as quinoa and millet. Hey, this book you're holding in your hand even has some recipes for those things! For more info on the glycemic index (including where foods rank), visit www.glycemicindex.com.

USE YOUR SPRAY BOTTLE OF OIL.

See Spray Bottle (page 15) in the kitchen equipment list. It's a dieter's best friend.

HOW TO COOK A VEGETABLE.

(OR, THE ART AND SCIENCE OF TRANSFORMING EDIBLE ROOTS, SHOOTS, LEAVES, AND FRUITS OF AN ARRAY OF PLANTS WITH CRITICALLY APPLIED HEAT, OILS, AND SEASONINGS SO THAT THEY WILL BE EATEN WITH GREAT PLEASURE AND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF COMPLAINING).

Dear Veganomicon, I don't know where to begin. I've been eschewing meat and dairy products for years but I can't bring myself to eat vegetables. They are often so bland and flavorless I presume that if I ate my napkin I might acquire the same amount of fiber, without the "ick" factor of having to eat something green. But, I have heard that there are some advantages to eating these things that grow in the dirt. Whatever should I do?

Yours truly,

Cautious of Carrots

Okay, we've never received a letter like that. However, we know that they are out there, reckless vegans and vegetarians who are pulling the green and orange blocks out of the bottom of the food pyramid and replacing them with things fried, sugary, and bready. We don't blame them. We blame society, or more exactly a society composed of limp, boiled broccoli; iceberg lettuce salads; and canned mushrooms. Don't even get us started on "baby" corn (that ain't our baby!). For those of you who love vegetables, this will be a tribute to everything glorious about the delicious part of the plant kingdom. At the very least, it will get you excited about roasting an extra bulb of garlic or two next time you fire up the oven. Learning how to cook vegetables so that they're flavorful, enticing, and exciting is about the best thing you can do to help spread the word about veganism, hands down. This chapter is organized according to different methods to coax the most flavor out of your veggies, to give you the skills to last a lifetime. Notice we're not a big fan of boiling (except for the occasional root vegetable, of course). It's so last century and kind of a mean thing to do to vegetables, if you think about it.

Tools for Outdoor Grilling METAL TONGS: Tongs are like an extension of our arms if there's a grill within fifty feet. Don't bother trying to turn things with a spatula; tongs are the tool of choice for flipping your veggies with precision. Simple, cheap metal ones will do, but you can get exotic with silicone-handled, heavy-duty tongs.

SPATULA: So you don't need a spatula for turning vegetables, but don't worry, it doesn't have to join the unemployment line just yet. Spatulas are great for flattening things out on the grill to ensure even cooking. Just be sure to get a really long-handled one for the grill, or feel free to use the little guy used for flipping pancakes if your hands are made out of asbestos.

PASTRY BRUSHES: Kitchen supply stores sell pastry brushes that are just a little too dainty and precious for our tastes, not to mention more expensive. So we use the kind of fat, round, nylon brush that you can find in a hardware store. Grill like a Veganomicon author and keep two at your side: one for brushing the grill with oil and one for brushing the veggies with oil or marinade during cooking.

METAL SKEWERS: For some reason, grilling vegetables in kebab form makes them 76 percent more fun to eat, according to our studies. You can also use wooden skewers, but to make sure that they don't burn: soak the wooden skewers in water beforehand for at least an hour. Get those freeloader picnic guests to a.s.semble bite-size veggie chunks onto skewers while you make the marinades or just work on your fierce tan.

LIDDED PLASTIC CONTAINERS: They make for easy transport of your veggies, and you can shake them to coat your veggies in oil or marinade with no worries.

LARGE, RESEALABLE PLASTIC BAGS: For some vegetables, such as asparagus, it's difficult to find a container that's the right size. Hence bags.

ALUMINUM FOIL : You always need it for something. It's almost a mystery how aluminum foil saves many a grilling day.

THE GRILL : We don't live in the suburbs, so therefore we never really developed an unhealthy obsession with obtaining the perfect grill. Use any charcoal, gas-fired grill or campfire that pleases you. Generally we like the permanent, for-the-people kind you'll find in the park (a good a reason as any to leave the house on a Sat.u.r.day before 11 a.m., just to lay claim on the good ones), or anything under thirty bucks. The great part about cooking veggies is that it takes a fraction of the time the meaty stuff does, so you really don't need that monster grill that costs as much as a down payment on a car.

GRILLING VEGETABLES.

Vegetarians are sometimes at a loss for what to put on the grill. It's often a sad toss-up between the oddly orange-hued tofu hotdogs or frozen disks of veggie burgers. We know this is a crazy thought but how about . . . vegetables?! Grilling brings out so much flavor in vegetables that you don't even need to dress them up too much. So pretty to look at and toothsome, perfectly grilled vegetables are like the Spring Break of parties in your mouth. A little olive oil and you're good to go, or if you're feeling especially inspired, some garlic and lemon juice never hurt. You don't have limit your grilling skills to the outdoors or miss out because it's snowing outside-a cast iron grill pan works wonders on the stovetop as well.

The #1 Tool for Indoor Grilling CAST aside your fears and get a cast-iron grill pan!

We probably say this about ten times throughout the book, but since this section is specifically about grilling it would be remiss not to mention it here. You absolutely need to get one! Once you have procured this, the most important purchase you will ever make in your life, then you can follow these same directions for outdoor grilling, only you will be indoors. (See Grill, page 19.)

Asparagus

Grilled asparagus is at once chewy and crispy, savory and sweet.

Prep: Remove rough end of stems. Place in a plastic bag. Add enough olive oil to coat, and a few cloves of minced garlic. Close the bag and rub all over to make sure the asparagus is coated. Let it sit for 10 minutes or a few hours-whenever you are ready to grill. When you are ready to grill, sprinkle with a little bit of coa.r.s.e sea salt.

Grill: Turn every few minutes and brush with olive oil if it looks like it's getting dry. It's ready when the tips to turn slightly charred-but before they turn shriveled-about 5 to 7 minutes.

Bell Peppers

The pepper of choice for the grill is the red bell pepper, for its sweetness and meatiness, but you can go with orange, yellow, or even purple if you can find it. Green bell peppers are simply not quite ripe red bell peppers, so they are a little bitter, but if that's your thing, go for it. To get the most out of your pepper, it's best to blanch it beforehand. Blanching is simply a fancy-pants way of saying boil for a minute or two. In the case of the pepper, blanching will get it softened up and ready to soak up the oil-plus it will make it cook faster on the grill without burning.

Prep: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carve out the pepper stem with a paring knife. Remove the stem and seeds, and peel out as much of the white stuff on the inside of the skin as you can. Place the peppers in the boiling water for just a minute or two. Remove the peppers with your trusty tongs, drain the insides, and set aside to cool. Cut each pepper in half. Brush each side with olive oil.

Grill: Place skin side down on the grill and flatten with a spatula as much as you can. Let cook until the skin is very charred; depending on the heat of your grill this can take anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes. Once then skin is good and charred, flip the pepper over for just a few more minutes.

We like to get sneaky and cook other kinds of peppers on the grill when n.o.body's looking. Turn your head for just a minute and we've put whole, unpeeled jalapenos or serranos on the grill. Turn them a few times and make sure they get nicely charred and blistered, then sock them away in a covered plastic container. You'll then have roasted chiles on hand to chop up and toss into any salsa, and therefore instantly become a salsa superhero.

Corn

We don't think it's necessary to make a case for corn on the cob, everyone loves it.

Prep: Pull back the husk as far as you can without ripping it off or damaging it. Pull the silk away from the corn and then close the husks back up. Soak the corn in a big pot of water for at least half an hour. The water softens the kernels as well as provides moisture that steams the corn and helps it to cook faster. Push the husks aside and brush the corn with oil and sprinkle with salt. Close the husks back up.

Grill: Place the whole ears on the grill and turn often for about 20 minutes. The corn is ready when the kernels are soft and release moisture if pressed.

P.S. If you're cooking with a campfire, get all outdoorsy and bury prepared, presoaked corn (make sure to keep plenty of the husk on!) in the hot ash and glowing coals of the campfire. Turn the corn once or twice. Depending on how hot your fire is, check the corn after about 10 minutes. Don't forget it or you'll have corn charcoal!

Eggplant

We love grilled eggplant as much as the next guy, but we're the first to admit that it's been much abused by the delis and restaurants of the world in the name of "vegetarian" food. We've all been there: the only meatless thing on the menu is that grilled vegetable sandwich, usually featuring a huge blob of tasteless, rubbery "grilled" eggplant. Cast aside those fears; the eggplant grilled at home by you will banish those blues forever.

Eggplant: To Salt or Not to Salt?

WE'VE been fence sitters on this issue for a while, but we've decided to err on the side of caution and tell you to salt the eggplant. Does salting eggplant really leach out the bitterness? Yes, even though eggplant is now bred to be less bitter. On the pro-salt side, the salt really does tenderize the eggplant, so why not take the extra time to do it? So even though we do recommend it, we aren't fascistic in our belief and you can skip this step if you feel like it.

Prep: Eggplant is great sliced in numerous ways; the stylish bias, completely lengthwise for huge eggplant "steaks," or the widthwise circular slice. Slices can be a little bit thicker than for summer squash, about inch. Remember to brush liberally with olive oil.

Grill: Grill for 5 to 7 minutes, then flip and grill for another 5 to 7. Brush often with oil as eggplant loves to drink that stuff up and tends to stick to the grill easier than do other veggies.

Leeks

Adventurous types might enjoy throwing whole leeks on the grill. They have a great onion flavor and chewy texture that is fun and satisfying to eat.

Prep: Trim both ends of each leek, then slice-starting from the green end-to about halfway through the white part. Completely cover in water and allow to soak about 5 minutes, shaking to ensure than any sand or grit is washed away from the leeks. Coat liberally with olive oil.

Grill: Grill for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and slightly charred. Sprinkle with salt after they are grilled.

Onions

Onions are excellent additions to your portobello burger or grilled veggie sandwich. We love using large, candy-sweet Vidalia onions but any big, preferably yellow, onion will do.

Prep: Slice off tops, remove the skin and cut into thick slices-a little under an inch should do. Keeping each slice intact, brush with olive oil.

Grill: Grill for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and slightly charred. Flip often, using the tongs to keep the rings together.

Pineapple PINEAPPLE is not a vegetable, you say (well, neither are tomatoes, but . . .). You haven't lived until you've tasted pineapple fresh off the grill. No, really, maybe you're a vegan zombie looking for BBQ tips or something. Anyway, to the humans out there, freshly sliced pineapple-coated with a little vegetable oil-is totally asking to be grilled, about 3 to 4 minutes each side. The sugars caramelize into a sweet heaven on the outside while the insides remain juicy. Serve warm, either with barbecue sauce-covered items or as a dessert with fresh berries and your favorite soy ice cream.